On Tuesday, Google disclosed applications for the inaugural Google for Startups Accelerator called Women Founders Africa Program, aimed at empowering and supporting women founders on the continent by providing resources and opportunities to scale their startups and provide solutions to problems in Africa.
The program is an expansion of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa Program that was established in 2017 that focuses on supporting startups and addressing the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Africa.
According to a statement by Google, it is a 12-week program that will commence in March 2023 and will include one boot camp per month, held in a hybrid style of online and in-person sessions.
The program will provide extensive advantages as participants will be opportune to interact with industry experts, resources, tools, technology, and Google products. They will also have access to networking opportunities and connections with investors to support the growth of their startups.
Speaking on the occasion, Folarin Aiyegbusi, the head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa at Google said “we are excited about the open call for applications for our 3-month accelerator program, specifically tailored to address the unique challenges faced by women founders in Africa”.
He buttressed that investment in women entrepreneurs in Africa is an essential endeavour for economic empowerment to enable the creation of job opportunities in Africa.
He said, “elevating the participation and leadership of women in the entrepreneurial ecosystem is crucial for promoting gender equality and driving economic growth in Africa”.
One of the mentors for the program, Akua Nyame-Mensah expressed how privileged she is of being a mentor in the inaugural Google for Startups Accelerator Program for Women Founders.
The deadline for submission of application is on 20 February, 2023. Women tech startup founders in Africa can now apply through the program website here g.co/acceleratorafrica. Interested women founders must have a working product or service, a working team and a working business model.